While many people have a “rainy day” fund, a lot of times it can be in a form of a savings or checking account at the local bank. The question becomes what will this money be used for? Vacation, second home, charity, etc. Insurance professionals should review their clients’ portfolios to make sure they have enough protection in case of death and/or health issues.
Let’s take Jack and Diane for an example:
"Jack and Diane are your typical retirees. They worked hard their entire lives, saved, and addressed the obstacles to an enjoyable retirement – except one. Jake and Diane have not prepared for the risk of needing long-term care (LTC). Should LTC become a reality, they have decided that bank type accounts or non-qualified assets they own, could be an alternative option to help pay for LTC expenses in the future. They have made the decision to be “self-funded.”
The Cost and Benefits of LTC
The issue with self-funding LTC comes with its high price tag. Jack and Diane, in all likelihood do not have enough to pay these costs. Whether it’s just Jack needing care or possibly both needing care in the future, there needs to be something rather than nothing to help cover costs.
A combination of life insurance + LTC and annuity + LTC benefits offering a potentially valuable, and often overlooked retirement tool which can offer opportunity for insurance professionals to help prepare clients for retirement concerns such as:
- Living a long life
- Covering LTC costs
- Helping with asset accumulation
- Assisting with wealth transfer
These contracts also offer:
- Premiums that never increase*
- Benefits even if LTC is never used
- Flexibility of either a single or two-person contract
Asset-based long-term care policies work by leveraging existing assets to help pay for LTC expenses when needed or offering the flexibility of passing the asset to a named beneficiary, family or charity as a death benefit. Consider these products as part of your clients’ overall financial strategy.
